Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he made of the adequacy of NHS provision for young people with (a) complex comorbidities, (b) Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, (c) epilepsy, (d) autism and (e) juvenile systemic lupus.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Integrated care boards (ICBs) have a statutory responsibility to commission services which meet the needs of their local populations. It is the responsibility of ICBs, working with clinicians, service users, and patient groups, to develop services and care pathways that meet patients’ needs.

Supporting children and young people as they transition into adulthood, especially those with long-term or complex conditions, including those with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), is a priority for the Government, and we are committed to ensuring that children receive the appropriate care and support whenever they need it.

Our 10-Year Health Plan for England commits to establishing a new radical approach through neighbourhood health services, shifting from sickness to prevention and ensuring that support for children’s health and development is locally accessible. It ensures the support for children and young people as they navigate the National Health Service, and ensures that they feel confident in managing their own health and care from age 16 years old, where appropriate. This will include supporting young people, including those with EDS, as they move from child to adolescent and adult services, ensuring that care is developmentally appropriate throughout.

In addition, a national transition framework is currently awaiting publication. This is to help local areas set up this model or to strengthen an existing one, and the principles of age- appropriate services set out in this document apply to both young people receiving care for the first time and those already on a transition pathway. While the framework focuses on broad principles of transition, future work will focus on specific considerations and conditions.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the availability of transition support for young people with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome who are moving from paediatric to adult NHS services.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Integrated care boards (ICBs) have a statutory responsibility to commission services which meet the needs of their local populations. It is the responsibility of ICBs, working with clinicians, service users, and patient groups, to develop services and care pathways that meet patients’ needs.

Supporting children and young people as they transition into adulthood, especially those with long-term or complex conditions, including those with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), is a priority for the Government, and we are committed to ensuring that children receive the appropriate care and support whenever they need it.

Our 10-Year Health Plan for England commits to establishing a new radical approach through neighbourhood health services, shifting from sickness to prevention and ensuring that support for children’s health and development is locally accessible. It ensures the support for children and young people as they navigate the National Health Service, and ensures that they feel confident in managing their own health and care from age 16 years old, where appropriate. This will include supporting young people, including those with EDS, as they move from child to adolescent and adult services, ensuring that care is developmentally appropriate throughout.

In addition, a national transition framework is currently awaiting publication. This is to help local areas set up this model or to strengthen an existing one, and the principles of age- appropriate services set out in this document apply to both young people receiving care for the first time and those already on a transition pathway. While the framework focuses on broad principles of transition, future work will focus on specific considerations and conditions.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of government-funded skills programmes on staffing levels in hospitality.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The hospitality industry has a need for skilled workers to support growth in the economy and opportunity for all, as we have identified through IfATE’s (Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education) 2024 report into the future of skills training for the catering and hospitality sectors.

We have a comprehensive skills programme to support employers in growing their business, and to support learners to develop better skills for better jobs. Training products are based on the skills, knowledge and behaviours that employers themselves have identified. These programmes, covering technical qualifications and apprenticeships, will support the industry to access the skills they need. Skills England meets regularly with representatives of the hospitality industry to understand skills challenges in that sector and how current technical qualifications and apprenticeships are meeting their needs.

The government is funding a number of Sector-based Work Academy Programmes – or SWAPs. These are short-term training programmes designed to support jobseekers to get back into work. SWAPs bring together employers, Jobcentre Plus, and training providers, matching people to jobs and providing job-specific training, preparation and support. In May of this year the Department for Work and Pensions announced a partnership with UKHospitality to rollout hospitality SWAPs to 26 new areas providing real opportunities for individuals and employers.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the reduction in the sheep population over the last three years on wildfire risk.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra has made no assessment of the potential impact of the reduction in the sheep population over the last three years on wildfire risk. The sheep sector is an important component of our rural landscape. The size of the flock changes year to year and sheep graze over a wide geographic area across the country, making any assessment difficult to undertake.

Each fire and rescue authority is, however, required to plan for the foreseeable risks in their area (including wildfire), through their Community Risk Management Plan.

Since 2024 the Government has funded a National Resilience Wildfire Advisor to assess what additional wildfire national capabilities might be needed to increase resilience to the wildfire risk and to ensure coordination of approaches across the sector.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to improve access to specialist support for victims of (a) sexual and (b) domestic violence.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

This Government was elected with a landmark mission to halve violence against women and girls (VAWG) within the decade, and ensuring support is available for all victims of sexual violence and domestic abuse is an absolute priority. The new cross-Government strategy, setting out the strategic direction and concrete actions to deliver on the Government’s VAWG ambition, will be published later this year.

I have protected dedicated VAWG victims spending in the department by maintaining 2024-25 funding levels for ringfenced sexual violence and domestic abuse support this year. This includes the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Fund (RASASF) grant for specialist sexual violence services and the ringfenced domestic and sexual abuse support funding for Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs). PCCs are best placed to understand their local communities and providers, and to commission appropriate support services to meet the need of victims in their area, including those affected by sexual violence or domestic abuse. PCCs and RASASF grant recipients carry out local needs assessments to identify the unique needs of victims in their area and design and deliver services accordingly.

The Ministry of Justice funded 24/7 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line offers victims, aged 16 and over, access to free and confidential emotional support whenever they need it. Where appropriate, the service will also signpost victims to longer-term support services, such as therapeutic support.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of court backlogs on victims’ (a) wellbeing and (b) engagement with the justice process.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

This Government inherited a record and rising courts backlog which has created unacceptable delays meaning victims are waiting too long for justice. This is why this Government commissioned the Independent Review of the Criminal Courts, led by Sir Brian Leveson, to propose bold and ambitious reforms to improve timeliness in the courts and deliver swift justice for victims. We know how important support services are in keeping victims engaged and supported through the Criminal Justice process, particularly with regards to delays in their case. The Ministry of Justice provides funding for victim and witness support services, in addition to core funding for Police and Crime Commissioners to allocate at their discretion, based on their assessment of local need.

This Government is committed to ensuring victims have the information they need. The Victims’ Code is statutory guidance that sets out the minimum level of service that victims of crime should receive from the criminal justice system. Under the Code, victims have the right to information when reporting the crime, during investigation and prosecution, during the trial, and at the outcome of the trial.

We will be consulting on a new Code in due course to make sure we get the foundations for victims right. We are also taking steps through the Victims and Courts Bill to provide all victims with a clear route to request information about their offender, where they receive a custodial sentence.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that victims are kept informed throughout the criminal justice process.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

This Government inherited a record and rising courts backlog which has created unacceptable delays meaning victims are waiting too long for justice. This is why this Government commissioned the Independent Review of the Criminal Courts, led by Sir Brian Leveson, to propose bold and ambitious reforms to improve timeliness in the courts and deliver swift justice for victims. We know how important support services are in keeping victims engaged and supported through the Criminal Justice process, particularly with regards to delays in their case. The Ministry of Justice provides funding for victim and witness support services, in addition to core funding for Police and Crime Commissioners to allocate at their discretion, based on their assessment of local need.

This Government is committed to ensuring victims have the information they need. The Victims’ Code is statutory guidance that sets out the minimum level of service that victims of crime should receive from the criminal justice system. Under the Code, victims have the right to information when reporting the crime, during investigation and prosecution, during the trial, and at the outcome of the trial.

We will be consulting on a new Code in due course to make sure we get the foundations for victims right. We are also taking steps through the Victims and Courts Bill to provide all victims with a clear route to request information about their offender, where they receive a custodial sentence.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what (a) number and (b) proportion of final death certificates remained unissued by the Teesside Coroner's Office for (i) 3 months (ii) 6 months, (iii) 12 months, (iv) 18 months and (v) 24 months after the deaths of individuals referred to the coroners office in each of the last five years.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

At the conclusion of an inquest or if it is suspended pending the conclusion of proceedings associated with the death the coroner certifies the cause of death for the purposes of registration. The registration of the death itself is carried out by the Registrar.

The Ministry of Justice publishes annual Coroners Statistics which can be found at Coroners statistics 2024 - GOV.UK

The information requested on the number and proportion of unissued final death certificates for the Teesside and Hartlepool coroner area and nationally is not collected but comparable data is available in, or can be extrapolated from, these statistical publications.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what (a) number and (b) proportion of final death certificates remained unissued by Coroner's Offices in England and Wales after (i) 3 months (ii) 6 months, (iii) 12 months, (iv) 18 months and (v) 24 months after the deaths of individuals referred to the coroners office in each of the last five years.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

At the conclusion of an inquest or if it is suspended pending the conclusion of proceedings associated with the death the coroner certifies the cause of death for the purposes of registration. The registration of the death itself is carried out by the Registrar.

The Ministry of Justice publishes annual Coroners Statistics which can be found at Coroners statistics 2024 - GOV.UK

The information requested on the number and proportion of unissued final death certificates for the Teesside and Hartlepool coroner area and nationally is not collected but comparable data is available in, or can be extrapolated from, these statistical publications.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average time taken was for (a) Teesside Coroner's Officer and (b) Coroner's Offices in England and Wales to issue a final death certificate from the date of when deaths are referred to them in each of the last five years.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

At the conclusion of an inquest or if it is suspended pending the conclusion of proceedings associated with the death the coroner certifies the cause of death for the purposes of registration. The registration of the death itself is carried out by the Registrar.

The Ministry of Justice publishes annual Coroners Statistics which can be found at Coroners statistics 2024 - GOV.UK

The information requested on the number and proportion of unissued final death certificates for the Teesside and Hartlepool coroner area and nationally is not collected but comparable data is available in, or can be extrapolated from, these statistical publications.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department plans to take to encourage an increased uptake of coronial post-mortems by pathologists.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The Ministry of Justice recognises that the system for commissioning pathologists to undertake post-mortems for coroners needs to function effectively to help coroners determine causes of death and meet the needs of bereaved families. Ministry of Justice officials are working closely with other government departments and wider stakeholders in the pathology sector, to understand the issues for the coronial pathology workforce and those of the wider system.

The Ministry of Justice has recently undertaken a data-gathering exercise intended to better-understand the profile of this workforce. We will continue to work across Whitehall and with external stakeholders to ensure that there is a secure number of pathologists ready to undertake this vital work for coroners and ensure the needs of bereaved families are met.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of funding for victims’ support services.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The Ministry of Justice provides funding for victim and witness support services, including community-based domestic abuse and sexual violence services, in addition to core funding for Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) to allocate at their discretion, based on their assessment of local need.

For the 2025/2026 financial year, funding for services supporting victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence has been protected at 2024/2025 levels. While there has been a modest reduction to the core funding provided to PCCs, the Department has consolidated previous ringfenced grants into a single funding stream, enabling greater flexibility for local areas to address specific needs. In 2023/2024 over 1.5 million victims were supported through the services commissioned by PCCs.

The Department continues to work closely with local partners to ensure funding is targeted effectively and is focused on delivering its commitments to repairing and strengthening the justice system, so that victims can receive swift access to justice. Funding after March 2026 will be agreed through the allocations process which follows on the latest Spending Review, and we are unable to pre-empt the outcome of this.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with the Environment Agency on the regulation of hazardous waste storage at industrial sites in Teesside.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Industrial sites must only store hazardous waste in accordance with an environmental permit.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment he has made of trends in the level of uptake of hospitality-related apprenticeships.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

There are a number of apprenticeships available to support employers of all sizes in the hospitality sector to benefit from and develop the skilled workforces they need.

The government has reduced the apprenticeship minimum duration to 8 months so that shorter apprenticeships are possible from August 2025. Employers in the hospitality sector will be able to make use of this flexibility where this is appropriate for the role or the apprentice.

To support apprenticeships in small and medium-sized enterprises the government pays full training costs for young apprentices aged 16 to 21, and for apprentices aged 22 to 24 who have an education, health and care (EHC) plan or have been, or are, in local authority care.

In addition, the government is delivering a hospitality Sector-based Work Academy Programme (SWAP) pilot, launched in partnership with UKHospitality. This pilot is being rolled out to 26 new areas in need of jobs and opportunity. These SWAPs support participants to gain accreditation for a digital Hospitality Skills Passport which is designed to provide proof that a person is qualified to perform their job effectively and safely, giving them a universal entry standard into the sector.

Apprenticeship starts within the Hospitality and Catering sector can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/649e785b-9332-4f3c-f886-08de0724494a

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support is available to help small hospitality businesses engage with (a) apprenticeship and (b) training schemes.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

There are a number of apprenticeships available to support employers of all sizes in the hospitality sector to benefit from and develop the skilled workforces they need.

The government has reduced the apprenticeship minimum duration to 8 months so that shorter apprenticeships are possible from August 2025. Employers in the hospitality sector will be able to make use of this flexibility where this is appropriate for the role or the apprentice.

To support apprenticeships in small and medium-sized enterprises the government pays full training costs for young apprentices aged 16 to 21, and for apprentices aged 22 to 24 who have an education, health and care (EHC) plan or have been, or are, in local authority care.

In addition, the government is delivering a hospitality Sector-based Work Academy Programme (SWAP) pilot, launched in partnership with UKHospitality. This pilot is being rolled out to 26 new areas in need of jobs and opportunity. These SWAPs support participants to gain accreditation for a digital Hospitality Skills Passport which is designed to provide proof that a person is qualified to perform their job effectively and safely, giving them a universal entry standard into the sector.

Apprenticeship starts within the Hospitality and Catering sector can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/649e785b-9332-4f3c-f886-08de0724494a

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to increase apprenticeship opportunities in the hospitality sector.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

There are a number of apprenticeships available to support employers of all sizes in the hospitality sector to benefit from and develop the skilled workforces they need.

The government has reduced the apprenticeship minimum duration to 8 months so that shorter apprenticeships are possible from August 2025. Employers in the hospitality sector will be able to make use of this flexibility where this is appropriate for the role or the apprentice.

To support apprenticeships in small and medium-sized enterprises the government pays full training costs for young apprentices aged 16 to 21, and for apprentices aged 22 to 24 who have an education, health and care (EHC) plan or have been, or are, in local authority care.

In addition, the government is delivering a hospitality Sector-based Work Academy Programme (SWAP) pilot, launched in partnership with UKHospitality. This pilot is being rolled out to 26 new areas in need of jobs and opportunity. These SWAPs support participants to gain accreditation for a digital Hospitality Skills Passport which is designed to provide proof that a person is qualified to perform their job effectively and safely, giving them a universal entry standard into the sector.

Apprenticeship starts within the Hospitality and Catering sector can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/649e785b-9332-4f3c-f886-08de0724494a

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of reforms to the Landfill Tax on businesses engaged in environmentally-responsible waste (a) treatment and (b) recycling.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recently consulted on proposals to reform Landfill Tax to ensure the regime remains effective in encouraging waste to be diverted away from landfill and to support the Government’s circular economy objectives. As part of the consultation, the Government has received a wide range of views from stakeholders, including from businesses that are engaged in environmentally responsible waste management practices. The consultation closed on 28 July, and the Government is considering responses and will set out next steps in due course.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the Parole Board’s capacity to process cases within the 18-month review cycle.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

We have interpreted the reference to an ‘18-month review cycle’ to be the frequency that cases are referred to the Parole Board and the review cycle varies depending on the type of sentence being served. Standard Determinate Sentence prisoners who have been recalled are referred to the Board within 28 days of their recall and then every 12 months. Indeterminate sentence prisoners must have a parole review just prior to tariff expiry and then at a minimum, every two years thereafter. HMPPS sets the period between reviews, and offenders are referred every 12 to 24 months after their first review depending on the outstanding risk reduction work that the offender needs to complete.

Once a case has been referred to the Parole Board by the Secretary of State, the conduct of the review process and the scheduling of hearings is entirely a matter for the Board. The Parole Board has made efforts to improve timeliness and a number of measures have been implemented to improve throughput and reduce delays. These include the introduction of temporary fee uplifts, targeted recruitment campaigns, and the delegation of certain case management functions to secretariat staff.

The Board’s published Annual Review and Account for 2024/25 reports that despite making more individual decisions than the previous year, the number of cases waiting for paper decisions and or oral hearings have both fallen. The Department continues to monitor performance closely and remains committed to supporting the Parole Board in meeting its statutory obligations whilst maintaining public protection.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent steps his Department has taken to balance the rights of prisoners to timely parole review with the need to (a) protect the public and (b) support victims.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

The Parole Board plays a vital role in public protection. It can only direct release if it is satisfied that it is no longer necessary for the protection of the public that the offender must remain in custody. To ensure each case can receive thorough scrutiny, once a case is referred to the Board there is no time limit in which a decision must be made. Each case is considered individually and the proceedings are managed according to the specific circumstances involved.

We recognise the uncertainty and distress that parole hearings will cause for victims. Prolonged reviews are regrettable but the nature of parole proceedings means that the Board’s panel will often need to direct additional information or specialist reports to complete their risk assessment and this must be the priority for public protection reasons.

Eligible victims registered with the Victim Contact Scheme are kept up to date during the parole review by dedicated Victim Liaison Officers.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of delays in parole hearings on victims awaiting (a) closure and (b) notification of release outcomes.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

The Parole Board plays a vital role in public protection. It can only direct release if it is satisfied that it is no longer necessary for the protection of the public that the offender must remain in custody. To ensure each case can receive thorough scrutiny, once a case is referred to the Board there is no time limit in which a decision must be made. Each case is considered individually and the proceedings are managed according to the specific circumstances involved.

We recognise the uncertainty and distress that parole hearings will cause for victims. Prolonged reviews are regrettable but the nature of parole proceedings means that the Board’s panel will often need to direct additional information or specialist reports to complete their risk assessment and this must be the priority for public protection reasons.

Eligible victims registered with the Victim Contact Scheme are kept up to date during the parole review by dedicated Victim Liaison Officers.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of recent changes to Landfill Tax rates on chemical manufacturing operations in Teesside.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recently consulted on proposals to reform Landfill Tax to ensure the regime remains effective in encouraging waste to be diverted away from landfill and to support the Government’s circular economy objectives. As part of the consultation, the Government has received a wide range of views from stakeholders, including representatives from the chemical manufacturing sector. The consultation closed on 28 July, and the Government is considering responses and will set out next steps in due course.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans his Department has to help ensure victims can contribute to parole decisions via (a) victim personal statements and (b) in general.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

The HMPPS Victim Contact Scheme (VCS) is a service for the victims of offenders who are convicted of specified violent, sexual or terrorism offences and are sentenced to twelve months or more imprisonment. Where it falls to the Parole Board to determine whether to release any one of those offenders, and the victim has chosen to receive the VCS service, victims may make representations about licence conditions to which the offender should be subject if the Board makes a release direction. The Scheme also allows the victim to submit a victim personal statement, to explain to the Board what has been the effect of offender’s crime(s) on them and their family.

Since 1 April 2025, victims may apply to observe an oral hearing conducted by the Parole Board, and the presumption is that the Board will approve applications unless there are compelling reasons not to. Observing an oral hearing provides victims with access to vital information about the prisoner and how parole panels assess the prisoner’s risk. In addition to support from their allocated Victim Liaison Officer, victims are assigned a Victim Representative from the Public Protection Group in His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS). The Representative is experienced in the parole process. In addition, victims can also apply directly to the Parole Board for the parole hearing to be held in public and, if granted, they would also be allocated a Victim Representative to support them through this process.

We keep these arrangements and processes under regular review, taking account of feedback from victims. Indeed, victims are provided with an opportunity to submit feedback to HMPPS on their experience.

Through the Victim and Courts Bill, we will be updating the legislative framework that establishes the Victim Contact Scheme to bring victims currently served by different post-conviction communication schemes into the Victim Contact Scheme and provide a new route for other victims to request information via a dedicated helpline. This will give victims confidence about the routes available to receive information about their offender’s release.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of victim support during parole hearings.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

The HMPPS Victim Contact Scheme (VCS) is a service for the victims of offenders who are convicted of specified violent, sexual or terrorism offences and are sentenced to twelve months or more imprisonment. Where it falls to the Parole Board to determine whether to release any one of those offenders, and the victim has chosen to receive the VCS service, victims may make representations about licence conditions to which the offender should be subject if the Board makes a release direction. The Scheme also allows the victim to submit a victim personal statement, to explain to the Board what has been the effect of offender’s crime(s) on them and their family.

Since 1 April 2025, victims may apply to observe an oral hearing conducted by the Parole Board, and the presumption is that the Board will approve applications unless there are compelling reasons not to. Observing an oral hearing provides victims with access to vital information about the prisoner and how parole panels assess the prisoner’s risk. In addition to support from their allocated Victim Liaison Officer, victims are assigned a Victim Representative from the Public Protection Group in His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS). The Representative is experienced in the parole process. In addition, victims can also apply directly to the Parole Board for the parole hearing to be held in public and, if granted, they would also be allocated a Victim Representative to support them through this process.

We keep these arrangements and processes under regular review, taking account of feedback from victims. Indeed, victims are provided with an opportunity to submit feedback to HMPPS on their experience.

Through the Victim and Courts Bill, we will be updating the legislative framework that establishes the Victim Contact Scheme to bring victims currently served by different post-conviction communication schemes into the Victim Contact Scheme and provide a new route for other victims to request information via a dedicated helpline. This will give victims confidence about the routes available to receive information about their offender’s release.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to improve communication with victims during the parole process.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

The HMPPS Victim Contact Scheme (VCS) is a service for the victims of offenders who are convicted of specified violent, sexual or terrorism offences and are sentenced to twelve months or more imprisonment. Where it falls to the Parole Board to determine whether to release any one of those offenders, and the victim has chosen to receive the VCS service, victims may make representations about licence conditions to which the offender should be subject if the Board makes a release direction. The Scheme also allows the victim to submit a victim personal statement, to explain to the Board what has been the effect of offender’s crime(s) on them and their family.

Since 1 April 2025, victims may apply to observe an oral hearing conducted by the Parole Board, and the presumption is that the Board will approve applications unless there are compelling reasons not to. Observing an oral hearing provides victims with access to vital information about the prisoner and how parole panels assess the prisoner’s risk. In addition to support from their allocated Victim Liaison Officer, victims are assigned a Victim Representative from the Public Protection Group in His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS). The Representative is experienced in the parole process. In addition, victims can also apply directly to the Parole Board for the parole hearing to be held in public and, if granted, they would also be allocated a Victim Representative to support them through this process.

We keep these arrangements and processes under regular review, taking account of feedback from victims. Indeed, victims are provided with an opportunity to submit feedback to HMPPS on their experience.

Through the Victim and Courts Bill, we will be updating the legislative framework that establishes the Victim Contact Scheme to bring victims currently served by different post-conviction communication schemes into the Victim Contact Scheme and provide a new route for other victims to request information via a dedicated helpline. This will give victims confidence about the routes available to receive information about their offender’s release.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to increase administrative efficiency in scheduling parole hearings.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

We have interpreted the reference to an ‘18-month review cycle’ to be the frequency that cases are referred to the Parole Board and the review cycle varies depending on the type of sentence being served. Standard Determinate Sentence prisoners who have been recalled are referred to the Board within 28 days of their recall and then every 12 months. Indeterminate sentence prisoners must have a parole review just prior to tariff expiry and then at a minimum, every two years thereafter. HMPPS sets the period between reviews, and offenders are referred every 12 to 24 months after their first review depending on the outstanding risk reduction work that the offender needs to complete.

Once a case has been referred to the Parole Board by the Secretary of State, the conduct of the review process and the scheduling of hearings is entirely a matter for the Board. The Parole Board has made efforts to improve timeliness and a number of measures have been implemented to improve throughput and reduce delays. These include the introduction of temporary fee uplifts, targeted recruitment campaigns, and the delegation of certain case management functions to secretariat staff.

The Board’s published Annual Review and Account for 2024/25 reports that despite making more individual decisions than the previous year, the number of cases waiting for paper decisions and or oral hearings have both fallen. The Department continues to monitor performance closely and remains committed to supporting the Parole Board in meeting its statutory obligations whilst maintaining public protection.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 on victims’ participation in parole hearings.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

Victims’ participation in parole is managed through the Victim Contact Scheme run by HMPPS. Victims can submit a Victim Personal Statement to the Parole Board explaining the effect that the crime has had on them and their family. They can also make representations, which may inform the Parole Board’s consideration of licence conditions, should release be directed. Additionally, victims can also apply to observe a Parole Board oral hearing to see how parole panels assess the offender’s risk.

The Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 legislated for the codified public protection test, which requires the Parole Board to have particular regard to the protection of the victim when considering release. Other measures in the Act, once implemented, will ensure victims know about their rights under the Victims’ Code and that these entitlements are met by criminal justice agencies, as well as driving more strategic commissioning through the Duty to Collaborate.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that all relevant (a) intelligence and (b) behavioural evidence is available to the Parole Board it makes release decisions.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

Qualified prison and probation officers, together with qualified psychologists, assess the relevance of all available evidence about a prisoner’s risk in the reports which they are required to submit to the Parole Board, when the Board is considering whether to direct that prisoner’s release. This includes evidence about behaviour, both past and present, and any intelligence gathered.

Additionally, the Parole Board may direct production of other reports where they, or other report writers, consider it necessary to inform the Board’s assessment of the prisoner’s risk – for example, a report from a qualified forensic psychiatrist.

Public protection remains the number one priority, and the Parole Board will release a prisoner only where it judges that the Probation Service may manage the prisoner’s risk effectively, using the licence conditions which the Board itself sets.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of training provided to Parole Board members on assessing the risk of reoffending.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

Parole Board members receive training in risk assessment that covers interpreting professional evaluations and assessing written and oral evidence to decide if statutory release criteria are satisfied.

The Parole Board, as an independent body, is responsible for developing and delivering its own training programmes.

The Ministry of Justice is confident that the training provided on assessing the risk of reoffending is robust.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the Parole Board’s approach to managing the risk posed by offenders convicted of serious (a) violent and (b) sexual crimes.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

The Parole Board applies a statutory test when determining whether to release an offender. The test requires the Board to be satisfied that it is no longer necessary for the protection of the public that the offender remain confined. The test was codified in the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024, following the Ministry of Justice’s Root and Branch Review of the parole system, published in March 2022. The review assessed the system as a whole, including how risk is assessed in cases involving serious violent and sexual offenders, and led to reforms that strengthened statutory safeguards and public protection measures.

The Parole Board does not manage risk following the release of offenders. Where release is directed, responsibility for managing risk lies with probation services, who develop and implement robust supervision plans tailored to the individual’s risk profile. The Parole Board will only direct release if it is satisfied that the release plan is sufficient to safely manage the offender in the community.

Found: of Alderley Edge, Baroness Bertin, Baroness Goudie, Lord Walney, Lord Hogan-Howe, Chris Philp, Matt Vickers